Table Of Content“This is a marvellous book by leading authorities who put across the practical gains of positive
psychology in a thoroughly sensible and accessible way. Teachers and parents should all read
it: there’s lots in it for you too.”
Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Buckingham, UK
“This book is a true gift to aspiring educators and school leaders who desire to bring positive
transformation to schools. It addresses the breadth of issues related to positive education
and provides rich theoretical foundations and practical applications. As a positive educator,
I am truly impressed and intrigued by the reflection questions and discussion points at the
end of each book chapter, which allows educators to crystallise their learnings and reflect
meaningfully on their teaching and learning practice.”
Matthew Koh, Founder of The Positive Arena, Singapore
“This compendium of positive school philosophies provides a wealth of evidence and inspi-
ration for educators to consider in their teaching approaches, and in terms of whole-school
self-evaluation. It offers practical insights into how wellbeing can be weaved into schools’
work. It is also a powerful call to action for system leaders to consider how this thinking
might be embedded in future policy and resourcing of schools, particularly CPD for teachers
and school leaders. I encourage educators to read it.”
Páiric Clerkin, CEO of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, Ireland
“I am delighted to have this opportunity to endorse such a worthwhile compendium of expert
perspectives on the application of positive psychology to schools. The need for this book is
especially important at a time when so many of our children and young people are reporting
threats to their mental health and positivity related to their experiences in the current pan-
demic, as well as the reported negative impacts of climate change on their futures. Emotional
health and well-being are central to optimal development – intellectual, physical and social.
In terms of education, we cannot learn optimally if we feel threatened, and this edited
collection offers a wide variety of potential solutions for schools (and families) in our
quest to promote a greater sense of positive agency and inclusion in future generations.”
Professor Graham F Welch, UCL Institute of Education, UK
APPLIED POSITIVE SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGY
Applied Positive School Psychology is an essential guide to help teachers regain their own
and assist the school community in rebuilding their health post-pandemic. While research in
positive psychology is thriving, teachers and educational practitioners find it challenging to
apply it in their daily practice. This practical book fills the gap between theory and practice
and provides practitioners with an evidence-based toolkit on using the positive psychology
in their school communities.
With contributions from experts in their field, this important resource explores student
wellbeing, teacher wellbeing, inclusion, developing positive relationships, creativity, and
therapeutic art.
Written with the practitioner in mind, Applied Positive School Psychology is a must read
for the teaching community and those interested in positive education. It will also be of in-
terest to academics specialising in wellbeing or education, educational psychologists, and
education policy makers.
Andrea Giraldez-Hayes is an accredited coaching psychologist, supervisor, and consult-
ant specialising in positive and coaching psychology. She is the Director of the MSc in
Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology and the Wellbeing and Psychological
Services Centre at the University of East London’s School of Psychology.
Jolanta Burke is a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society) specialising in
positive psychology and an Associate Professor in the Centre for Positive Psychology and
Health in RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has authored eight books.
For more information, go to www.jolantaburke.com.
APPLIED POSITIVE
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
Edited by Andrea Giraldez-Hayes and
Jolanta Burke
Cover image: Pilar Amusategui-Giraldez
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Andrea Giraldez-Hayes and Jolanta
Burke; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Andrea Giraldez-Hayes and Jolanta Burke to be identified as
the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual
chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confers the right
on the purchasing institution to photocopy pages which bear the photocopy
icon and copyright line at the bottom of the page. No other parts of this book
may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Giráldez, Andrea, editor. | Burke, Jolanta, editor.
Title: Applied positive school psychology / edited by Andrea Giraldez-Hayes
and Jolanta Burke.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge, 2022. | Includes
bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2022001716 | ISBN 9781032132051 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781032132068 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003228158 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: School psychology. | School children—Psychology. |
Positive psychology.
Classification: LCC LB1027.55 .A67 2022 | DDC 370.15—dc23/eng/20220427
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022001716
ISBN: 978-1-032-13205-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-13206-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-22815-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003228158
Typeset in Interstate
by codeMantra
To the teachers worldwide, who change the world
one child at a time.
CONTENTS
List of tables xii
List of figures xiii
About the editors xiv
About the contributing authors xv
PART 1
Positive psychology in schools 1
1 Positive schools: An introduction 3
Jolanta Burke and Andrea Giraldez-Hayes
2 Applying positive psychology in primary schools 9
Sue Roffey
PART 2
Connecting with others 21
3 Positive relationships 23
Jolanta Burke
4 Self-confidence and self-efficacy development in schools 29
Suzy Green, Daniela Falecki, and Clive Leach
5 Courage in positive education 44
Cynthia L.S. Pury
6 Working with strengths in education: Why educators should strength
spot in their students, and how students feel about this work 52
Denise Quinlan and Lucy Hone
7 Coaching conversations to enhance well-being 63
Andrea Giraldez-Hayes
